Pelikan’s schedule of new releases has been unavoidably altered for 2020 due to the global issues affecting us all today. One of the most highly anticipated models expected this year has been a fountain pen inspired by the Edelstein Ink of the Year, Moonstone. I’m happy to report that the wait is now over as Bookbinders, a stationary shop out of Australia, has given us our first glimpse of the M205 Moonstone Special Edition Demonstrator. The latest special edition to join the Classic series continues the tradition that began with the M205 Amethyst (2015) and now marks the sixth release to be based on their Edelstein line of inks. The M205 Moonstone joins ranks with the M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Olivine (2018), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Aquamarine (2016), and the M205 Amethyst (2015). Last year’s Star Ruby broke the mold by employing a material with a sparkly, shimmering character. The Moonstone looks to continue this trend by utilizing the same sparkling material encased within a dark gray translucent medium. Pre-orders should be available from most vendors by September 1st with this one expected to hit store shelves sometime in early October.
Tag Archives: New Release
COVID-19’s Impact On Pelikan’s Operations
It was just eight months ago that Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization to several pneumonia cases of unknown cause in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China. To most of us, I’m sure it feels like much longer due to the global saga that has since ensued. We are now all too familiar with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Not since the H1N1 influenza outbreak of 1918 have we seen a pandemic with such far reaching ramifications for everyday life. Countries across the world have taken unique and unprecedented measures to try and stop the spread of the virus. These have varied in severity by location and have met with mixed degrees of success. Actions universally agreed upon to be effective have included social distancing, mask wearing, and hand hygiene. Germany’s government and healthcare system were well positioned to tackle the challenges posed by the virus at the outset but that is not to say they have had it easy. With the fourth largest economy in the world and approximately 11% of its gross domestic product spent on health care, Germany ranks among the top five countries in the European Union for the number of nurses and physicians per 1,000 people. Germany recorded its first case of COVID-19 on January 27, 2020 in Bavaria. By February 27, the total number of cases had climbed to 26. Towards the end of February mass gatherings and travel were increasingly restricted. In mid-March schools started to close and by March 22, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the federal states and national government had jointly decided to implement a “contact ban.” This served to limit public gatherings to two people, required a physical distance of at least 5 feet, and closed many businesses. Today, Germany has reported approximately 224,000 cases and just over 9,000 deaths, a sad reminder of just how infectious and deadly this virus is. The necessary restrictions outlined above along with others have resulted in the pandemic taking a heavy toll on the operations of most businesses, Pelikan’s included. Read on to learn of the disruption that has been caused thus far and what it means for the company’s fine writing instruments division for the remainder of 2020 and beyond.
News: Maki-e Kingfisher Limited Edition
There has been a dearth of new releases from Pelikan during the first half of 202o which is likely a reflection of the turbulent times that we find ourselves in. If pre-release rumors are to be believed, the second half of the year promises to be much more exciting. That run gets kicked off today with Pelikan’s announcement of the forthcoming Maki-e release, Kingfisher. This newest model further flushes out the company’s Maki-e portfolio, adding to last year’s Five Lucky Bats and Japanese Umbrella. Pelikan describes the Kingfisher as, “a masterpiece that combines the craftsmanship of Pelikan Germany coupled with superior Japanese traditional Maki-e painting techniques.” The accompanying literature describes the newest Maki-e fountain pen thusly;
“Kingfisher is a small bird that lives near the waterside. The kingfisher has a long, dagger-like beak. The plumage of most kingfishers is bright, with green and blue being the most common colors. In Japanese, it is also called jade or blue gemstone because of its bright colors. On the fountain pen, two beautiful Kingfishers are vividly painted on the background of burning red autumn leaves. The motive fantastically expresses a colorful scene in the autumn of Japan.”
The Kingfisher is built off the M1000 chassis, consistent with most of their past Maki-e releases. Given the timing of the announcement, you can expect this model to be available next month. While there is no word yet on pricing, you should expect this ultra-limited edition to command a king’s ransom. This one is reported to be limited to just 123 pieces worldwide.
The M800 Demonstrator: Then And Now
The M800 Demonstrator has had an interesting life. It was first released in 2008 as a special edition to celebrate the company’s 170th anniversary and it came in two forms. The first of these was a standard demonstrator in clear, transparent resin that lacked any embellishment on the barrel or cap. The clear resin allowed for unobstructed viewing of the brass piston assembly which was complimented by Pelikan’s standard gold plated trim. At the same time, another model was released, identical to the first save that this one featured etched descriptors of the various parts filled in with white paint. These pointed out key features such as the spindle nut, twist stopper, and piston to name just a few. Eight attributes in all were labeled along the barrel and piston knob. Interestingly, this particular model featured a cut out in the brass connector of the piston assembly to allow for better visualization of the spindle within the connector, making it a true demonstrator pen. When the same features were incorporated on an M805 variant in palladium trim in 2015, this little detail would be left out. Most of the etched variants were annotated in the English language while a small minority would be done in Spanish. Niche Pens once declared that, “Altogether, 3,500 Clear Demonstrators were produced, the majority with English engravings, a small number with Spanish engravings and an even smaller number with no engravings at all.” While the veracity of that statement cannot be verified, it further imbues the M800 Demonstrator with a bit of mystique. Both pens were readily available in their time but have been out of production for about twelve years now and are infrequently encountered. This model is not without its fair share of intrigue and new developments for 2020 make it worth revisiting.
News: M1000 Raden Green Ray
After a hiatus of nearly two months, we again have fresh news about the next release out of Hannover. March looks to be a big month for Pelikan with the previously announced M200 Pastel Green and the Edelstein IOTY Moonstone already due. Those releases will now be joined by a new Souverän, the M1000 Raden Green Ray. The last Raden model to be released was the M805 Raden Royal Platinum back in 2018. The M1000 line hasn’t seen a pen in this style since 2016’s Raden Sunrise. To make a pen with this traditional Japanese technique, a special Japanese Urushi lacquer is first applied to the barrel and cap. The stripes are then constructed with particles of Australian abalone. For the Green Ray, these colorful pieces of pearlescent shell appear to reflect hues of green, blue, and purple. Finally, another layer of lacquer is applied to seal everything in place. The artist then hand numbers and signs each piece in the Maki-e technique. Other notable past Raden releases built off of the M1xxx chassis are the Moonlight (2011), Sunlight (2013), Starlight (2014), and Sunrise (2016). This will be a limited edition of just 400 pieces worldwide and is due out in March 2020.
News: The M151 Gets A Big Brother – Introducing The M251
Some of you may recall a small post that I wrote back in 2015 titled “The (Short) Story of the M151.” If not, allow me to refresh your memory. Pelikan introduced the M150 alongside the M200 back in 1983 in order to provide a smaller alternative in the Classic series of pens. The M150 Green-Black came about in 1988 and underwent a redesign in 1997. Found predominantly in the Italian market, the M151 is nothing more than a regional variation of the standard post-1997 Green-Black M150 sold with fancier packaging. The atypical designation was once explained by one of Pelikan’s European sales & marketing representatives like so; “M151 is the company’s own ‘internal description’ for the M150 model and is the name that the pen has come to be sold under in certain export markets.” Sales literature can be found that seemingly elevates this particular model to some sort of legendary status. One such tagline reads “Everything passes…myths remain.” New for 2019, it would appear that the M151 has gotten a big brother aptly named the M251. Dressed in the exact same trim and color scheme, the M251 is distinguished from the M151 only by its larger size. Read on to find out all of the details.
News: M200 Pastel-Green
With the year winding to a close, you could certainly be excused if you thought that Pelikan was done with new product announcements. It may come as a surprise than to learn that we have not one but two new products to talk about today courtesy of the well-respected German retailer Fritz Schimpf. First up is a new M200 model set to debut in 2020, the Pastel-Green. Pelikan must have had a lot of white resin left over after their run of the Gold-Marbled because we see it again utilized here. It’s nice to see the company shift some of their attention away from the higher end Souverän range and focus more on their entry level Classic series. I also like the fact that the company seems to be experimenting with more unique materials and stepping out of their comfort zone. In this instance, we have a resin barrel with a marbled pattern of pastel green. White resin accents set off the light green, flanking the barrel just like what we saw with the recently released Gold-Marbled. This one is anticipated to be available at retail outlets sometime in mid-February 2020 and I would expect that vendors will start taking pre-orders soon.
News: M605 Stresemann Announced
With the M800 Brown-Black just starting to ship from retailers this week and the recently announced M200 Gold Marbled still not quite a month away, fresh news breaks yet again detailing the next release out of Hannover. For those that have been particularly observant, I’ve been teasing about Pelikan plugging one of the glaring holes in their M6xx line-up this year. Once again, it is Appelboom, this time via their Instagram account, who informs us that day is now upon us with the upcoming release of the M605 Stresemann (a.k.a. Black-Anthracite). Due out in mid-November, this M605 will join the M805 (2015), M405 (2016), and M1005 (2019) models that already sport the same design. Many people have been waiting for this finish to grace the mid-sized model that so many prefer. The only other model that might make a bigger splash would be a Tortoiseshell Brown M600 but the rumor mill remains silent on that one. If you’re seeing the Stresemann name for the first time and are wondering from where it originates, it is most simply explained as a term that has long been used to describe the classic pinstriped appearance of Pelikan’s pens. An unofficial nickname of sorts for the Souverän line, it was derived from the Secretary of State of the Weimar Republic, Gustav Stresemann, who was well-known for wearing black/grey striped trousers and a jacket in black or anthracite. The Stresemann pens honor that legacy.